Hypericum plant named ‘Kolmsweet’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant named ‘Kolmsweet’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; dark green leaves; light orange-colored fruits; good postproduction longevity; and resistance to rust pathogens.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Hypericum inodorum cultivar Kolmsweet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum plant, botanically known as Hypericum inodorum, commerciallyused as cut stems with fruits, and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Kolmsweet’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Wageningen, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop cut Hypericum varieties with attractivefruit coloration.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1998 oftwo unidentified proprietary seedling selections, not patented. Thecultivar Kolmsweet was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2000as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in acontrolled environment in Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hypericum by terminal cuttings taken atBoskoop, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this newHypericum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kolmsweet’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kolmsweet’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and ourwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Dark green leaves.

3. Light orange-colored fruits.

4. Good postproduction longevity.

5. Resistance to rust pathogens.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the parent seedlingselections primarily in fruit coloration.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the Hypericumcultivar Excellent Flair, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Hypericumdiffered from plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Hypericum had darker green-colored leaves thanplants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Hypericum did not sunburn whereas leavesof plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair sunburned.

3. Fruits of plants of the new Hypericum were light orange in colorwhereas fruits of plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair were red brownin color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hypericum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Hypericum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Kolmsweet’.

The photographs on the second sheet (top to bottom) are close-up viewsof typical upper surfaces of developing and fully expanded leaves of‘Kolmsweet’, a typical opened flower of ‘Kolmsweet’, and typical fruitsof ‘Kolmsweet’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Hypericum has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Boskoop, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nurseryand under commercial production practices. Plants were about two yearsold. The photographs and description were taken during the summer whenoutdoor day temperatures ranged from 14 to 27° C. and day temperaturesranged from 7 to 14° C. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Hypericum inodorum cultivar Kolmsweet.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of Hypericum inodorum,not patented.

Male parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of Hypericum inodorum,not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 30 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Freely branching; medium thickness; brownish green incolor.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Upright and outwardly spreading perennial woody shrub;globular.

Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely branching; dense and bushygrowth habit.

Plant height.—About 60 cm.

Plant width (spread).—About 75 cm.

Quantity of stems per year.—About 14.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 11 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internodelength: About 2.4 cm. Strength: Moderate. Texture: Smooth. Color: 138Cto 138D; overlain with anthocyanin, 178A.

Foliage description.—Leaves opposite; single; sessile and generallysymmetrical. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Ovate.Apex: Obtuse to acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous;slightly rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves,upper surface: 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: 138B. Fullyexpanded leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker than 139A. Fullyexpanded leaves, lower surface: 138B. Venation, upper and lowersurfaces: 144D.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Bright yellow single flowers arranged in terminalcompound umbels with about seven flowers per umbel; about 20 flowers andflower buds per lateral branch. Flowers not fragrant. Flowers notpersistent. Flowers upright.

Natural flowering season.—Summer, typically July and August in Boskoop,The Netherlands; flowering period typically lasts about 60 days.

Postproduction longevity.—Cut flower are typically harvested when allflowers have developed fruits. Postproduction longevity of cut stemswith fruits is about two weeks.

Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 6 cm.

Flower buds.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 12A to 14A.

Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.7 cm. Depth: About 1.6 cm.

Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1cm. Shape: Broadly obovate. Aspect: Slightly concave. Apex: Obtuse toacute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Smooth. Color: Developing and fully expanded petals, uppersurface: 13A; color does not fade with subsequent development.Developing and fully expanded petals, lower surface: 13A to 13B.

Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 7mm. Shape: Ovate. Aspect: Convex. Apex: Obtuse to acute. Base: Cuneate.Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color:Developing sepals, upper surface: 144A. Developing sepals, lowersurface: 143B. Fully expanded sepals, upper surface: 137A. Fullyexpanded sepals, lower surface: 138B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Orientation: Erectto about 10° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 138C to138D; overlain with anthocyanin, 178A.

Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Orientation: Erectto about 50° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 138C.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 85. Anthershape: Broadly ovate. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: 14A to14B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 12B. Pistils: Quantity perflower: Three. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Globular. Stigmacolor: Close to 33D. Style length: About 4.9 mm. Style color: 150C.Ovary color: 154B.

Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Days to ripening: About 25. Longevityon the plant: About 30 days. Type: Capsule. Shape: Ellipsoidal. Length:About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:35B to 31C; on a cream-colored, close to 11D, background, mostnoticeable at the base.

Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: More than 100. Length: About 0.8 mm.Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 199A to N199A.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been observed to beresistant to rust pathogens common to Hypericum.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been observed totolerate temperatures ranging from −15 to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant named‘Kolmsweet’, as illustrated and described.